Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast
Results 1 to 10 of 16
  1. #1
    Newcomer
    Join Date
    Dec 2007
    Posts
    39

    Default Question to V1 owners

    I do not own any RD so I am not a lover or hater of either brand or model.

    Since I never used any RD I am clueless when V1 owners say that arrows provide tremendous advantage. What type of advantages are you talking about?

    Thank you.

    P.S. to me knowing that threat is nearby would be enough to be cautious.

  2. #2
    Speedtrap Crasher
    Join Date
    Aug 2006
    Location
    Houston, TX
    Posts
    6,732

    Default

    On an interstate it's helpful to know if your alert is behind you, in front of you or from the side. The scenario that helps me out most is when the signal is ahead, then clocks around to the side and to the rear. This tells me the source was off the highway.

    Also, if I pick up an alert from the rear than starts ramping up. I know I'm being overtaken by a LEO and push my speed up to put some distance between us. If it continues to ramp then I know he's in pursuit of something and I exit or really shut it down.

    Another situation where the V1 arrows is golden is waiting to turn onto a boulevard. You get a sideways arrow. After you turn on the roadway you can check to see if the arrow went forward (slow down) or behind (speed up).

    The freeway I drive on crosses a lot of other freeways and highways. So there's a lot of off axis alerts that pop up from LEOs working the sidroads. The V1 arrows really help to sort all that out.
    Project "BONES" Speed Lab:
    Valentine One, Blinder M47 "All Front Configuration"
    Pro97 Police Scanner
    1 Saves / 3 Strikes as of 8/22/2009
    Estimated saves in U.S. Dollars: $200

  3. #3
    Power User
    Join Date
    Feb 2006
    Location
    MI / MA
    Posts
    3,594

    Default Re: Question to V1 owners

    Quote Originally Posted by balda2
    I do not own any RD so I am not a lover or hater of either brand or model.

    Since I never used any RD I am clueless when V1 owners say that arrows provide tremendous advantage. What type of advantages are you talking about?

    Thank you.

    P.S. to me knowing that threat is nearby would be enough to be cautious.
    Ok, here's the dilemma: a $70 Whistler detector would be more than enough to catch constant-on threats on any band. Of course, the worst speed traps are not constant on, they're instant-on and the key to defeating them involves picking up transmissions WAY ahead, sometimes even more than a mile before hitting the alert, even if that involves detecting perpendicular scatter from across a curve.

    As a result, if you look at straight-distance tests on ANY of the detectors that match the above criteria, they'll sniff out radar on most bands from like a 10-mile radius. Now, given the presence of annoying leaky detectors, door openers, and so on, there can be a high prevalence of false alerts.

    Now, consider your detector going off on the highway. Where the hell is the signal? You slow down to the PSL, sure, but where's the cop? In front? Behind? Or does the guy beside you have a leaky detector? A V1 will easily allow you to pinpoint the direction of an alert, and determine if it's a threat or not.

    If you find an alert that quickly switches front->side->rear and continues being detected, despite not seeing any kind of cop or threat while the arrows passed the side, you can be reasonably certain this was something off the road like a door opener. Despite seeing this signal for even another 1/2 mile or more, you can safely resume your normal speed while knowing that if the V1 would see something else, it would sound a double-beep and display the direction of the new threat.

    Or, if you pick up a rear alert that is strong and growing slowly, you can be assured there is something behind you -- either a leaky detector or a cop -- closing in on you. With my other detectors, I've been surprised once by a cop that had managed to creep into the lane next to me, behind me. All while I was listening to a slowly ramping Ka-band signal that I assumed was from the front based on prior experience, and I was so busy concentrating on looking for cars parked in the median/shoulder that I failed to notice the cop. I'm sure the V1 would've instantly sent me looking in the right direction.

    If you enjoy knowing about every radar source around you, how many, and what direction, you will enjoy the V1. If you just want a simpleton detector that you slow down when it alerts and speed up when it doesn't, pick another premium detector.


    I shared you mentality of "if it beeps just slow down" 2 years ago when I bought my first detector, a Whistler 1793SE. Over the years, I've grown to appreciate and envy the V1's wealth of information, and as a result I bought one. Had I known this ahead of time, I would've directly bought a V1 and been happy from day one. The arrows give you confidence in the detector, certainty in pinpointing a threat. This psychology is really important too.

  4. #4
    Newcomer
    Join Date
    Dec 2007
    Posts
    39

    Default

    Great info, I wouldn't even thought about it this way.
    thanks a lot.

  5. #5
    Yoda of Radar
    Join Date
    May 2007
    Location
    Miami Beach, Florida
    Posts
    10,973

    Default

    Good V1 story that demonstrates the value of the arrows:

    I got a Ka alert and the V1 pointed behind me.

    I looked back and saw a Clewiston PD cruiser behind me.

    As the cruiser slowly overtook me, the arrows did not switch to side or front, even as he passed me.

    I waited and waited, thinking there was a lag. I even switched the unit off and back on again to make sure it wasn't displaying incorrectly. When it came back on, it continued to display an alert from behind.

    Finally, after another minute or two, a second Clewiston PD cruiser rolled up from behind. As it passed me, the arrows switched from rear to side to front. The first cruiser was never running radar, the alert was coming from the second one the whole time. Another detector wouldn't even have hinted that there was a threat from a different direction than what I was expecting.

    I also used the arrows to correctly identify a Mercedes S-class as the source of multiple simultaneous K-band false alerts by driving in front, behind, to the left, and to the right of the car and watching the arrows shift accordingly.

  6. #6
    Power User
    Join Date
    Feb 2006
    Location
    MI / MA
    Posts
    3,594

    Default

    Great arrow story! With any other detector you would've watched that first cruiser pass, go out of sight, while still picking up a Ka signal thinking to yourself "what marvelous scatter pickup!", and then speed up a bit and BOOM.

  7. #7

    Default

    Great posts on the usefulness of the arrows.

    One of the reasons I have another V1 on the way right now (as a Christmas present - my previous one was stolen! )

  8. #8
    Radar Fanatic
    Join Date
    Dec 2007
    Location
    NW Indiana
    Posts
    2,063

    Default

    It's true that you may not need the arrows 100% of the time, but there will be that one time where you thought the radar source was coming from a different direction and WHAM ticket time. Secondly, a lot of people on here who have V1s have had other detectors previously. If you ask them, a lot will say that they wish they had just gotten V1 (Or other top of the line detector. As opposed to a $100-$150 one) as their first detector and avoided a lot of heart ache. I lost my RD virginity to a V1 and she hasn't treated me badly yet!

    Also, sometimes it's fun trying to get the the grocery store without looking out the windshield. Just use the arrows to guide you. "Use the arrows Luke."

  9. #9
    Yoda of Radar
    Join Date
    May 2007
    Location
    Miami Beach, Florida
    Posts
    10,973

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Beatlesfan
    Also, sometimes it's fun trying to get the the grocery store without looking out the windshield. Just use the arrows to guide you. "Use the arrows Luke."
    Please don't do that, your V1 doesn't alert to my bumper

  10. #10
    Old Timer
    Join Date
    Aug 2006
    Location
    Orlando, FL
    Posts
    8,881

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by jdong
    Great arrow story! With any other detector you would've watched that first cruiser pass, go out of sight, while still picking up a Ka signal thinking to yourself "what marvelous scatter pickup!", and then speed up a bit and BOOM.
    Why would you speed up with a cruiser in front of you.

 

 

Similar Threads

  1. Question To All Bel STi-R and V1 Owners ?
    By Olivpinc in forum Radar Detectors - General
    Replies: 16
    Last Post: 07-17-2010, 04:49 PM
  2. A question for all ZR4 owners...
    By Qui-Gon in forum Laser ShifterPro, ZR4, ZR3
    Replies: 13
    Last Post: 06-07-2009, 06:07 PM
  3. Question for ix owners.
    By CJR238 in forum Escort
    Replies: 27
    Last Post: 08-05-2008, 09:58 PM
  4. Question for V1 Owners
    By John_in_NC in forum Valentine One
    Replies: 1
    Last Post: 01-03-2007, 05:38 PM
  5. Question for X50 owners...
    By ES13Raven in forum Escort
    Replies: 8
    Last Post: 11-14-2005, 09:10 AM

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •